CONTACT
David Solimini, 757-765-0295

Operation Free Leads Way as Climate Bill Gains Momentum
Veterans outreach, national security message take lead in fight for clean energy & climate legislation

WASHINGTON – The voices of over 400 veterans and national security experts have taken the lead role in advocating for clean energy and climate change legislation currently before Congress. The effort, spearheaded by the veterans and security coalition Operation Free, has been raising public awareness about the connection between climate change and national security. Recognized for their advocacy leadership by President Obama, Operation Free is changing the debate on climate and energy issues.

Operation Free was founded in July of 2009 to bring the voice of national security and veterans to the debate over climate change and energy policy. Operation Free owes much of its success to initial angel investor Eric Greenberg, whose book, GenerationWe, catalyzed what is now a multi-million dollar effort.

Since January, Operation Free’s Veterans for American Power national bus tour has taken the message to hundreds of small towns and big cities across America. Staffed by veterans from across the country, they share their personal stories about the connection between oil addiction and terrorist funding and discuss how the Department of Defense is leading the way towards a clean energy future.

Operation Free veterans have briefed President Obama, and have been hosted at the White House and Vice President’s Residence. In addition to President Obama, Operation Free’s work has been recognized by Vice President Joe Biden, Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus, and scores of Senators and Members of Congress, including climate bill sponsors, Senators John Kerry and Joe Lieberman. They have hosted speakers on Capitol Hill ranging from White House climate and energy advisory Carol Browner to former Director of Central Intelligence, R. James Woolsey.

Learn more at www.OperationFree.net.
# # #

This bill is the opportunity we’ve been waiting for. For years, Congress has stalled progress on energy security and climate. But the time for dithering and delay is over and the time for action is now. The consequences are too great, and the dangers too real, for us to sit idly by while our enemies grow stronger at our expense.

Fundamental change does not happen without a fight. The partisan games of Congress and the lucrative ploys of lobbyists have always stood in the way of solving America’s problems. That’s why Americans need to stand up, speak out, and join the fight — with military leaders and veterans at our side. Take a moment, sign the pledge to support the American Power Act, and stand up for American security.

President Obama said yesterday that he didn’t want to force a tough political fight this year on a comprehensive immigration bill, especially with climate and energy legislation on deck and midterm elections not too far behind.

“We’ve gone through a very tough year, and I’ve been working Congress very hard, so I know there may not be an appetite immediately to dive into another controversial issue,” Obama said of the immigration issue during a rare encounter with reporters aboard Air Force One as they returned to Washington from an overnight trip to the Midwest.

“There’s still work that has to be done on energy, midterms are coming up, so I don’t want us to do something just for the sake of politics that doesn’t solve the problem,” Obama added.

Obama’s remarks on immigration come amid a tense political standoff in the Senate that threatens to derail action on legislation to cap U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) on Tuesday said he expects to move onto the climate issue before immigration, but that has not been enough to satisfy Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), who helped negotiate the climate bill but has threatened to abandon the effort because Reid also wants to tackle immigration this year.

Graham had been working for months with Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) on immigration, but he has complained that Democrats’ plans for taking the issue up this year is a “cynical political ploy” aimed at helping Reid turn out a larger Hispanic vote in the midterm election.

“If you bring up immigration now, it’s doomed to fail,” Graham said yesterday. “I care about immigration. The only reason you’re bringing it up is you think there’s a political reason here, and it dooms any other serious item like energy and climate.”

Retired officers, Rio Tinto push Senate

Hoping to keep pressure on the Senate, 33 former high-ranking military officers and the country’s biggest diversified mining company are among those pushing for passage of the comprehensive energy and climate legislation.

The retired officers — including Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Stephen Cheney, Air Force Lt. Gen. Norman Seip and Army Maj. Gen. Roger Blunt — are scheduled to sign a joint statement today to Senate leaders at the National Press Club urging consideration of the Kerry-Graham-Lieberman bill.

“America’s billion-dollar-a-day dependence on oil makes us vulnerable to unstable and unfriendly regimes,” said the officers’ letter. “A substantial amount of that oil money ends up in the hands of terrorists. Consequently, our military is forced to operate in hostile territory, and our troops are attacked by terrorists funded by U.S. oil dollars, while rogue regimes profit off of our dependence. As long as the American public is beholden to global energy prices, we will be at the mercy of these rogue regimes.”

The military officials will be running full-page newspaper ads today in Politico and Roll Call and over the next week in the Military Times. They also are planning meetings today at the White House with Carol Browner, the top climate and energy adviser to President Obama, as well as with Sens. Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and George LeMieux (R-Fla.), according to David Solimini, a spokesman for the Operation Free coalition organizing the military officers’ lobbying campaign.

Another layer of pressure for the Senate climate bill is coming from business. Yesterday, mining giant Rio Tinto sent a letter (pdf) to Reid urging him to make the Kerry-Graham-Lieberman bill a “top priority” this year.

“All indications are that the senators’ heavy lifting has taken us significantly farther towards a balanced and comprehensive policy solution,” wrote Preston Chiaro, the company’s group executive for technology and innovation. “Neglecting its promise will not only delay the actions necessary to address the climate imperative, but will increase, rather than reduce, the uncertainties for businesses like Rio Tinto as we face a more rigid and expensive regulatory process under the Clean Air Act.”

Rio Tinto is a founding member of the U.S. Climate Action Partnership, a coalition of businesses and environmental organizations that supports action to cut carbon emissions. The company’s stance on emission limits differs from other major mining players, including Peabody Energy Corp. and Arch Coal Inc.

Graham yesterday joined his one-time partners on the climate bill, Sens. John Kerry (D-Mass.) and Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.), in sending key details of their legislation to U.S. EPA for an economic analysis widely seen as a precursor to floor debate. EPA modelers are studying the description of the bill “to determine whether it contains all of the information that EPA needs in order to run its models,” an agency official said. The report will take six to eight weeks once the agency begins work, the official said.

Aides to Kerry, Graham and Lieberman declined requests yesterday to release the same details they sent to EPA. The senators had planned to unveil their proposal Monday during a press conference with top business, military and religious officials, but they postponed the event because of Graham’s complaints.

Senate aides have said the climate legislation is expected to require a 17 percent reduction in U.S. emissions by 2020, compared with 2005 levels, with the greenhouse gas caps set on key industrial sectors such as power plants, petroleum refiners and manufacturers.

Also yesterday, two top Obama administration officials insisted that the Senate climate debate is full-steam ahead, even despite the turbulence surrounding Graham.

Energy Secretary Steven Chu told reporters after testifying before a Senate Appropriations subcommittee that the administration has been working “behind the scenes in developing a strong, comprehensive energy bill that can get 60 votes” in the Senate.

“I wouldn’t say it’s been devolving,” Chu added when asked about Graham. “I’m still confident Kerry, Graham and Lieberman will be introducing a bill on the floor soon.”

“We have worked very, very hard,” Carol Browner, the president’s top energy and climate adviser, said during an event hosted by the Center for a New American Security. “The president has made it a priority to secure comprehensive energy legislation.”

http://www.nytimes.com/cwire/2010/04/29/29climatewire-immigration-debate-may-be-on-sidelines-for-a-75514.html

CONTACT
David Solimini, 757-876-0295

Veterans Launch National Tour for Clean Energy, Security

Tour to hit 16 states, highlight climate change threat to American security

Today, in front of the US Capitol, a group of US military veterans kicked off the National Veterans for American Power Tour, a 16 state, two month, nationwide bus tour in support of clean energy legislation. Sponsored by Operation Free, the tour will highlight the connection between climate change and national security.

They were joined by Rep.  Edward Markey (D-Mass), Chairman of the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming.

At scores of meet and greets, town hall meetings, and round table events, the veterans will describe how dependence on oil is funding our most dangerous enemies, making America vulnerable, and causing destabilizing climate change – threatening peace and security around the world.

The national tour heads to Virginia first, followed by Missouri, Colorado, and New Mexico and additional states thereafter. This tour was preceded by two smaller bus tours last year.

“As we saw on Christmas day, our dependence on oil is providing funding to our most dangerous enemies. At the same time, climate change is destabilizing already weak states and creating the failed states which provide breeding grounds and recruiting opportunities for terrorists around the world,” said Jon Powers, COO of the Truman Project and Iraq war veteran. “Climate change is making the world a more dangerous place, and America needs to stop it for our own security.”

The next month will include stops in:

• Virginia (Jan 16 & 17) Charlottesville, Martinsville, Danville
• Missouri (Jan 19-22) St. Louis, Cape Girardeau, Springfield, Columbia, Sedalia, Warrensburg, Independence, Kansas City
• Colorado (Jan 24-28) Grand Junction, Breckenridge, Denver, Colorado Springs, Pueblo
• New Mexico (Jan 29-Feb 2) Santa Fe, Albuquerque, Las Cruces, Roswell
• Arizona (Feb 5) Flagstaff
• Nevada (Feb 6-7) Las Vegas.

The Tour will continue onto the following states: Washington, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, and Ohio.

Relevant Facts:

• The Department of Defense has identified climate change as a ‘threat multiplier’ and plans on including the threat in the Quadrennial Defense Review, as does the State Department.  (New York Times, August 8, 2009)

• The Central Intelligence Agency has opened a Center on Climate Change and National Security. (Central Intelligence Agency, September 25, 2009)

• In 2008, a National Intelligence Assessment from the National Intelligence Council said “global climate change will have wide-ranging implications for US national security interests over the next 20 years.” (Senate Testimony of Dr. Thomas Fingar, June 28, 2008)

• Former Senator John Warner (R-VA), former Chairman of the Armed Services Committee, Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), former CIA Director James Woolsey, Retired General Anthony Zinni, and Retired Supreme Allied Commander, Europe, General Wesley Clark, have all stated that climate change threatens our security.

Operation Free is a coalition of veterans and national security organizations dedicated to securing America with clean energy. Learn more about Operation Free and the National Veterans for American Power Tour at www.OperationFree.net.

# # #

(Wednesday, January 13, 2010)

(Wednesday, January 13, 2010)

Dina Fine Maron, E&E reporter

A group of military veterans kicked off a nationwide bus tour today designed to urge action on energy and climate change legislation.

The two-month tour, organized by Operation Free, a coalition of veterans and national security organizations, will focus on drawing a connection between climate change and national security.

“This is an issue that affects our national security, our homeland security, our energy policy, our environmental policy and our economic policy,” said Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), chairman of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, at a press conference outside the Capitol building today. “There is no other issue that touches every single aspect of American and international life like this issue of climate change and energy independence.”

[PHOTO: Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) speaks outside the Capitol about the importance of clean energy for U.S. national security. Photo by David Solimini, courtesy of Operation Free.]

The tour will include stops at VFW halls, colleges and other venues in 16 states. The group says veterans have already signed on to participate in local rallies, and it hopes to rally other vets to the cause.

“Our dependence on foreign oil makes us vulnerable. It is providing funding to those who would seek to hurt us,” said Jon Powers, an Iraq war veteran and chief operating officer for the Truman National Security Project, a sponsor of Operation Free. He said he will be taking a shift on the bus at some point during the two months.

“We’re hoping to get voters across the country to pick up the phone and call their senators,” said David Solimini, media director for Operation Free. “We’ve found it’s a great way to raise awareness in small localities, so it’s not just ‘I saw a TV ad’ but becomes ‘I saw a guy from next door talking about this.’” This tour was preceded by two smaller bus tours last year.

More than 50 veterans have agreed to take a shift on the bus during this tour, with at least seven veterans traveling on the biodiesel-powered bus at all times. Most of the involved veterans served in Iraq or Afghanistan.

The 45-foot Operation Free bus will make its first stop in Virginia on Saturday and will then move on to Missouri, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, Washington, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan and Ohio.

Operation Free is supported by the National Security Initiative, VoteVets.org, VetPAC, and the Truman National Security Project, among other groups.

“There is no greater patriotic act than standing up on this issue. What you see on the battlefields around the world is the result of us not having a policy on this issue,” Markey said.

The veterans will describe how dependence on oil is funding our most dangerous enemies, making America vulnerable, and causing destabilizing climate change. After the event, they will depart for the first leg of the national tour.

Can you make it? Of course you can. Come to the kickoff, see the brand new bus, and learn more about how to get involved.

The Details: Wednesday at 1:00 p.m. in Washington, DC at the US Capitol Reflecting Pool at the corner of Maryland and 3rd St SW.

Every single person in the world is affected by our climate. The manner in which we live our daily lives is at the very mercy of our climate system.  The supporting points of this idea are far and wide, from sustenance and other basic needs to the vacation spot you may want to visit being eradicated by the next big hurricane.  In our lack of foresight in this premise, we have come upon its dangerous and imposing presence far earlier than anticipated.

Today, we are in the Bella Center in Copenhagen Denmark. Operation Free is in the very epicenter of every voiced concern on our planet. 192 nations have sent delegations and over 900 Non governmental agencies have converged at COP 15 to not only discuss our current predicament, but to take the necessary steps to improve our energy efficiency and reduce the poisonous carbon footprint that exponentially exacerbates the problem our planet now faces.

We are a small group of Americans, concerned with global security and safety for future generations. We believe, as history has taught us, that we are precariously vulnerable as a global society, as well as a nation to the negative effects climate change will bring about. Famine, droughts, disease, mass migrations, displaced cultures, the list reads like an award winning apocalypse recipe. We recognize the human cost, tangible and intangible, and as every one who has carried a rifle to procure freedom does, we look to prevent it in the future. When a people has been so adversely affected by climate change, their desperation must be answered by those who have the resources, training and preparation for such crises. Should those elements of necessity be unable to effectively respond, the repercussions would be disastrous.

It is these contingencies that Operation Free has brought to Copenhagen. We understand the nature of the reluctant terrorists that only wanted jobs, of the desperate father who could no longer let his child go hungry. We understand that it is up to us to do everything in our power as a species to keep each other from knowing such circumstances in the future. It is this idea, this hope, this message that we bring to Copenhagen, so that future generations prosper in the safety and comfort of a clean and secure planet.

The UN Climate Conference is in its final week, and the streets of Copenhagen are packed with government officials, scientists, engineers and non-profit leaders. Operation Free joined their ranks yesterday, when a dozen combat veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan touched down to spread a crucial message: the stability of our climate and the security of our globalized world are inextricably linked. As veterans, we’ve learned the hard way that the drought, famine and scarcity climate change will bring produces a breeding ground for insurgency and terrorism. More than glaciers and polar bears are at risk – preventing climate change is a struggle for the security and prosperity of every human being on the planet.

Even with the vast array of organizations and agendas present at the conference, our message is catching on. Waiting to enter the convention hall this morning, I talked with botanists and engineers with a plan to restore trees to the Sahara desert, delegates representing a series of small islands existentially threatened by rising sea levels, and a vegan activist in a chicken suit. When I mentioned that I was an Iraq and Afghanistan veteran here to discuss the link between climate change and global security, even the chicken stood up and took notice.

Each of them understood that while Operation Free is a coalition of American veterans, the security threat posed by climate change is equally real for nations around the globe. The scientific consensus is overwhelming. If we continue to burn dirty fuels at our current rate, increasing carbon levels in the atmosphere will cause significant shifts in the earth’s climate. According to analysis by the Pentagon and the CIA, the resulting drought, famine and flooding will lead to a dramatic increase in global conflict.

As veterans of a global fight against insurgency and terrorism, we’ve seen the link between scarce resources and violence at eye level. In Afghanistan, my small Forward Operating Base took rocket fire on a weekly basis. As we struggled to defend ourselves, we gradually realized that our attackers weren’t hardened insurgents – they were local tribesmen who had lost their livelihoods to deforestation and drought. Knowing that the local people were struggling to feed their families, the Taliban was quick to move in. They offered these former farmers and loggers a simple deal: ten dollars for every rocket they fired at the American camp.

Unless we take immediate action to prevent climate change, the same deadly dynamic will become a global fact of life. This week in Copenhagen, Operation Free is committed to helping secure the future.

Early this morning, as my fellow veterans and I braved the Scandinavian winter to attend the UN Climate Change conference in Copenhagen, Denmark, I felt a camaraderie that reminded me of my days serving in the military. Just as in my Army career, I am honored to stand alongside dedicated men and women who are committed to bringing stability and security to disaffected populations. While the Copenhagen conference is bristling with thousands of people – from scientists and clean energy advocates to policy experts and world leaders – the veterans working with Operation Free are adding a much-needed voice to the discussions about climate disruption. Although everyone here is concerned about the potentially disastrous effects to the Earth that are resulting from our increasing carbon emissions, most conference attendees are not aware of the equally adverse impacts of a changing climate on international security.

As I speak with conference participants and media outlets covering the events here in Copenhagen, the first question I’m asked is “why are international military forces concerned about climate change?” Of course, most of the attendees here are not military experts, but they do understand the following logic: First, there is near-universal agreement in the scientific community that our growing reliance on fossil fuels contributes to an increasing amount of carbon emissions in the Earth’s atmosphere. As more nations join the global economy and develop their own industries, the world is adding carbon emissions to the environment at a pace unparalleled in world history. These emissions – and the increased pollution that jeopardizes our air and water – are also responsible for some of the climate change we are already seeing around the world. Our reliance on dirty fossil fuels – if left unchecked – will increase the rate of global climate disruption and usher in more instability in some of the most impoverished nations in the world. The resulting volatility will threaten not only the immediate population, but also those international aid organizations that will be called upon to provide humanitarian assistance. As history has shown, far too frequently these same humanitarian operations often require a peacekeeping force or military response as well, as regional warlords battle for control of scarce resources.

As a veteran of the war in Afghanistan, one of my most vivid memories is of visiting a refugee camp – a place so deprived of basic necessities that residents often fought over access to resources like food and water. This is one of the reasons that veterans from Operation Free add a valuable voice to the topic of climate disruption: we’ve seen first hand how scarce resources lead to destabilized populations. With the potential for droughts in some areas and flooding in other areas, we know that the fallout will include increased famine, disease, and mass migrations. Just as I witnessed during my deployment to Afghanistan, areas with few resources and unstable populations are fertile recruiting grounds for terrorist groups like Al-Qaeda and the Taliban. As we have witnessed in the past decade, these groups will stop at nothing to advance their extremist ideologies, and unstable and impoverished regions provide a safe-haven for terrorist groups to enlist and train new members. The United States Department of Defense, State Department, and Central Intelligence Agency are also greatly concerned the undesirable conditions caused by climate change, and they have developed task forces to examine the problem and develop strategies to provide diplomatic, and if necessary, a military response.

The global instability that will be caused by climate change is a serious threat, but thankfully we have the power to prevent these conditions if we act now and focus on utilizing cleaner energy sources. In both Afghanistan and around the world, military forces from many nations are working together to combat tyranny and oppression. Let’s hope our national leaders are willing to do the same.

All of the veterans will be available for media interviews before the conference as well as at the Bella Center during the conference by domestic and international media. Call David Solimini at 757-876-0295 to interview. Email dave@trumanproject.org after December 13.

Hailing from ten different states and three branches of the military, they will hold press events, meet with members of the US delegation, and relay their experiences as members of the US military to an international audience. The veterans will highlight that:

• Global action is necessary for global security because climate change makes the world a more dangerous place. In the parlance of the military, it is a threat multiplier, helping create safe havens and breeding grounds for terrorists when unstable countries collapse under the weight of the droughts, famines, and floods caused by climate change.  Preventing climate change means protecting us and our allies from having to fight future conflicts.

• The world needs a united front in the face of this common threat. It is time for real teamwork, where every nation can be part of a win-win solution for everyone. America needs to set the right example, look to the future, and lead by example in the face of this global security threat.

• Depending on one or two sources of energy makes a nation vulnerable. Veterans know that it is dangerous to depend on unfriendly nations for the resources we need to run the economy. This is true of America, and of other nations. For example, in America, oil is a worry. In Europe, it is common to worry about natural gas supplies.  It’s time for all nations to take control of our energy future.

The veterans hail from the following states: Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Maine, Michigan, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, South Dakota, Virginia, and West Virginia.

The delegation is sponsored by Operation Free, a coalition of veterans and national security organizations a mission to secure America with clean energy. More information at www.operationfree.net.

As the single largest energy consumer in the United States, the DoD is taking impressive steps towards reducing wasteful energy practices and investing in green energy technologies.   Here’s an update:

Alexandra Zavis, in her Los Angeles Times article, Military embraces green energy, for national security reasons, notes that the military recognizes that oil and energy consumption at current levels is not only a waste of money, but a threat to our men and women of the armed services.

Zavis highlights some of the green technologies being used at Ft. Irwin in San Bernardino, CA as an example of the sort of ahead-of-the-curve actions being taken by our military.  Ft. Irwin, which “houses the Army’s premier training center for troops deploying to Iraq and Afghanistan,” has “become a testing ground and showcase for green initiatives.”  These initiatives, such as installing photovoltaic panels, building insulated tents, and using “plug-in cars,” have already reduced generator usage by “45% – 75%. “

The success of Ft. Irwin has spurred similar measures to be taken at other bases, including those in combat zones.  Also, the military’s interest in investing in green technology and alternative energy has piqued the interest of producers of such technologies. “Some believe that the military has the potential to become a catalyst, helping to turn more expensive power sources into financially viable alternatives to coal and petroleum.”

In addition to green technology, we’re learning how more frugal oil consumption, especially in combat zones, translates to fewer fuel convoys, fewer troops needed to defend the convoys, and therefore fewer casualties.   As Marine Maj. Gen. Richard Zilmer put it: “’Continued casualty accumulation exhibits potential to jeopardize mission success.’”  The amount of resources it takes to transport and defend the copious amounts of fuel being used stretches our military thin.

Clearly, these Soldiers and Marines (and one Coastie) were not about to let a little rain stop our efforts on behalf of clean American energy.  So off we headed to the campus of Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) — one of four college campuses that we will be visiting on this swing through Indiana.

As we pulled up to the IUPUI campus center, we met up with Russell Silver, our host for the event.  Russell is an Army veteran who served in Iraq and has continued to serve as President of the IUPUI chapter of Student Veterans of America — an organization devoted to providing support and assistance to the thousands of recent military veterans who are heading to college under the new GI Bill.

Once inside the Campus Center, we held a spirited roundtable discussion about how much America’s security would be strengthened if we reduced our dependence on foreign energy sources and cut the carbon pollution that causes climate change.

During the discussion, Dan Martin, a Navy veteran and IUPUI graduate student, recalled his service as a young sailor in the late 80s, where he and his shipmates were tasked to protect the flow of oil tankers through the Straits of Hormuz. When I heard Dan’s story, it reminded me of the fact that today, over 20 years later, we still have sailors, Marines and Coasties over there protecting the oil infrastructure at Umm Qasr and other spots in the Gulf — huge additions to the real cost of our dependence on foreign energy.

And as Glenn Kunkel reminded us at the forum, right at this moment we have a U.S.-bound oil tanker held hostage by pirates off the coast of Somalia — fully laden with 275,000 metric tons of the Saudi Arabian crude that our nation runs on.

These kind of things underscore how vulnerable we are to disruptions in our foreign energy supply.  And that’s why we’re out here — to secure our nation through the development of clean, domestic energy that can’t ever get hijacked.

“It’s the next generation of warriors we’re defending by doing this,” retired Marine Glenn Kunkel concluded. “Just because we’re not in uniform doesn’t mean we aren’t still serving.”

With that, the two dozen attendees of Operation FREE’s Veterans for American Power first tour stop were abuzz with thoughts on what they
planned to do to reach out to Senators Bayh and Lugar, urging their support of the Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act.

We were warmly received by Valparaiso Law School students, faculty and concerned citizens. Our message of reducing our dependance on fossil
fuels to increase America’s national security was heard 5 X 5–meaning our audience gets it.

Let’s hope our lawmakers get it, too.  America has a great opportunity to take back control of its own energy future.  We can cut off the flow of money to the terrorists we’re fighting against, and at the same time build a new energy economy that creates jobs here at home and makes America a world leader in clean energy.

Valpo was a great start.

Starting after Thanksgiving, we’ll be spending five days, barnstorming across the corn and soybean fields of Indiana — talking to veterans and voters alike about the threat posed by climate change to American security.

Better yet, this is just the beginning. The Tour will be visiting more states in the coming months, so stay tuned for more information!

Operation Free
Secure America with Clean Energy
www.operationfree.net

FOR PLANNING PURPOSES ONLY
November 29, 2009

CONTACT
David Solimini
757-876-0295

Veterans to Tour Indiana, Highlight National Security Threat of Climate Change

Five day “Veterans for American Power Tour” kicks off nationwide series of events

Operation Free, a coalition of veterans and national security organizations, will hold a five-day bus tour of Indiana to kick off a nationwide series of events highlighting the threat that climate changes poses to America’s national security.

A group of veterans, including some from Indiana, will travel across the state by biodiesel-powered bus, holding events and informing voters of the importance of passing clean energy legislation to protect American security.

All events are local time. For some events, additional details will be forthcoming.

Monday, November 30

Roundtable discussion with students and veterans

3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Valparaiso University School of Law, Wessemann Hall

656 South Greenwich Street

Valparaiso, Indiana

Tuesday, December 1

Remarks with local veterans

11:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon

VFW Fort Miami Post 10006

6814 S Anthony Blvd

Fort Wayne, Indiana

Wednesday, December 2

Remarks and roundtable discussion with students and veterans

12:00 noon – 1:00 pm

IUPUI Campus, Campus Center, Room 405

420 University Boulevard

Indianapolis, Indiana

Round table discussion with Purdue students and local student veterans group

3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Purdue University, Stewart Center, Room 214 A&B

128 Memorial Mall

West Lafayette, Indiana

Thursday, December 3

Press conference and green business facility tour

12:00 noon – 1:00 p.m.

One Planet Solar and Wind

2350 Wabash Avenue

Terre Haute, Indiana

Roundtable discussion with students and student veterans group

3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Indiana University, Memorial Union Building, Distinguished Alumni Room

900 East 7^th Street

Bloomington, Indiana

Friday, December 4

Meeting and discussion with local veterans

11:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon.

VFW Post 1832

800 VFW Boulevard

Jeffersonville, Indiana

Event TBD

Evansville, Indiana

Operation Free is a coalition of veterans and national security organizations highlighting the threat posed to America by climate change. Find more information at www.OperationFree.net.

# # #

It is clear that they simply don’t understand the nature of the threat to our national security that is posed by climate change. Carbon pollution and climate change are making the world a more dangerous place and that means endangering soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines.

Today, they said:

With Veterans Day around the corner, we wanted to take a moment to reflect on all the military personnel who are involved in ensuring our country is protected.

Energy security is one issue that has become increasingly important to our veterans. In fact, national veterans groups Votevets and Operation Free are urging the government to become more energy independent and less reliant on foreign oil.

We can do this by using the abundant domestic fuels we already have. With more than 250 billion tons of recoverable coal reserves, the United States has more coal than the Middle East has oil.

This is insulting to all of the Veterans who are fighting to protect America’s national security by supporting clean, American power.

ACCCE and their allies have no sense of the danger faced by our brave men and women in uniform. They would rather protect their profits than protect our national security. Today, they made it clear that they put their greed above America’s safety – and they used veterans in the process.

The Veterans of Operation Free know that climate change – not just our dependence on foreign energy – is making the world a more dangerous place. In today’s environment, resources and weather play a significant role in security. Unstable states quickly become failed states in the face of drought, famine and the resultant civil unrest caused by climate change.  One need look no further than Afghanistan or Somalia to see the dramatic impact that climate issues like water shortages, famines, and crop failures have on security issues. Failed states have historically been, and will continue to be, safe havens for those who seek to harm America.

Wake up, ACCCE. This is the threat. And you stand in the way of defending us from it.

UPDATE: ACCCE has sent a message to their email list apologizing.

Yesterday, we sent an email to you which some folks felt implied that the group Operation Free supports clean coal technology, an issue which they have not taken a position on. That was not our intention. In reading the original e-mail, I agree that the wording of that original message could have been more precise, and I apologize for any misunderstanding.

This event did give me a chance to talk to the folks at Operation Free. I owed them the call because it should be common courtesy to check with an organization before you mention them in an e-mail – and we didn’t do that. I also committed to making an attempt to remove any confusion from the previous e-mail, and I hope this does that. But moreover, it gave us an opportunity to understand more clearly that we share the common goal of promoting greater energy independence.

It is with profound respect, on this Veterans Day, that we thank all of those veterans who have served our nation with bravery and distinction. They have given their dedication and lives to a cause greater than themselves, and for that we are all grateful.

Thank you for your continued support.

Joe Lucas
Senior Vice President – Communications

Mike Breen speaks to the crowd in Scranton, PA, on the Veterans for American Power Tour.

For all of its privations and dangers, military service offers at least one profound compensation: the chance to fight for something deeply important.  Many of us were called to put on the uniform for that very reason. My fellow veterans on the northern ‘Veterans for American Power’ bus tour have heeded that call twice now – once when they volunteered to serve the nation in a time of war, and a second time when they signed up to fight for American energy independence as part of Operation Free.

It felt good to be on that bus, with those outstanding men and women. It felt good to be united with fellow veterans, to be serving a cause higher than ourselves, and to be sharing an important message with people across the country. As we spoke in Pennsylvania’s steel towns and rolled through the wooded hills of New Hampshire, I began to realize just how ready most people were to hear what we had to say. In small towns and state capitols, Americans young and old seemed to intuitively understand that dependence on foreign oil and pollution that threatens our climate both pose a danger to our security and way of life. More importantly, they seemed ready and eager to stand up and do something about it.

In Pittsburg, the leaders of a local union showed us a training program that prepares workers for a renewable energy economy. In New Hampshire, state legislators explained how weatherizing homes in the state could create jobs. In Maine, Bowdoin College was packed with a new generation of student leaders ready to commit to putting America’s energy future back in American hands.

As the bus rolled on, I watched with humility and excitement as my fellow veterans mastered the skills of a new kind of service. Glenn Kunkel, a decorated Marine rifleman, spoke eloquently of wind farms as the victory gardens of a new greatest generation. Robin Eckstein told hushed town meetings of the perils of logistical convoys in Iraq, dodging insurgent attacks to supply petroleum for Army generators. Andrew Campbell brought a crowd of his fellow Mainers to their feet at our last event, with a call to stop funding both sides of the war through foreign oil.

The bus tour may be over, but the mission continues. I’m looking forward to reuniting with my fellow Operation Free veterans, and working together to meet the great challenge of our generation.

Courson: Graham fighting for national defense, economic growth

By JOHN COURSON
Guest Columnist

As a conservative senator, a Marine and former chairman of President Ronald Reagan’s campaigns in South Carolina, I have always regarded national defense and economic development as top priorities. No special interest should ever come before America’s security and economic vitality.

Protecting our nation is about more than fighting today’s battles. It’s also about preventing threats to our brave servicemen and women now and in the future. That is why so many South Carolinians are disappointed to see oil company front groups attacking Sen. Lindsey Graham for his courageous fight to free our nation from its dependence on foreign oil.

Finding clean, alternate sources of energy has a direct impact on our national security and our economy. Fortunately, Sen. Graham has the foresight to understand that the two are connected. America’s dependence on foreign oil makes us militarily and economically vulnerable. The clean energy economy of the future means a stronger national defense and more jobs for us and our children.

Our security as a nation is dependent on fossil fuels bought from unstable countries and regimes that do not have our best interests in mind. Every day, we spend $1 billion overseas in countries such as Saudi Arabia, Russia and Venezuela. There is no doubt we need energy to fight wars, protect the homeland and fuel our economy. However, it is irresponsible for political leaders to continue energy policies that force America to depend on other nations to provide our energy supply.

Militarily, the landscape in the 21st century does not look like it did in the past. The threats we face today are multifaceted, complex and more about small regional conflicts than the large front wars faced by earlier generations. In today’s environment, resources and weather play a significant role in security. Unstable states quickly become failed states in the face of drought, famine and the resultant civil unrest.

One need look no further than Afghanistan or Somalia to see the dramatic impact that climate issues such as water shortages, famines and crop failures have on security. Failed states have historically been, and will continue to be, safe havens for those who seek to harm America. People who live in failed states, without hope for the future, food for their families or shelter over their heads, are prime targets for terrorist recruitment. In our current conflicts, we have seen how poor farmers, unable to feed their families, are sometimes willing to be paid to plant roadside bombs.

America’s continued addiction to energy from overseas puts our soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines in harm’s way. Afghanistan is one of the poorest countries in the world, yet Taliban fighters remain well-equipped and well-trained in their fight against our brave men and women.

A significant portion of the funding for the Taliban in Afghanistan comes from wealthy individuals living in Saudi Arabia – wealthy people who made their money on oil. It is no exaggeration to say that our addiction to foreign energy is funding the enemy in our war with al-Qaida and the Taliban. Some portion of that daily billion dollars worth of foreign energy we purchase is being fired back at our troops in the form of AK-47 and RPG rounds.

Yet our concern for energy reform legislation, which Sen. Graham is so bravely supporting in the face of massive special-interest money, is not limited to traditional security concerns. We also know that America’s economy needs a jump-start, a reinvigorating infusion of investment that will drive the next decade of growth and innovation. Clean-energy technology can be that new lifeblood.

From nuclear energy to solar power, from building wind turbines to developing new technologies to weatherizing homes against our sweltering summers, there are jobs to be had in a clean-energy economy. Special interests may be running TV ads against clean-energy legislation, but we are all paying for those ads, with $4-per-gallon gasoline.

America’s dependence on foreign oil hurts our economy, helps our enemies and puts our security at risk. Together, we can protect our national security, keep our brave men and women out of harm’s way, strengthen our economy and take control of our energy future.

In the meantime, when you see all the ads attacking Lindsey Graham for supporting energy reform, just remember this: The special interest groups are protecting their own profits. Lindsey Graham is fighting for South Carolina.